Mirror Magazine

Mirror Magazine

Interpreting life
By Mahangu Weerasinghe
It was a night of graceful movement and unchecked energy. It was kinetic symphony, pure and simple – bittersweet in every sense of the word. The pre-performance kicked off at 7 p.m., with various Eastern dances giving the audience a little hint of what was to come. The show proper however, only commenced after an infuriatingly long intermission, and the first dance was thus not received very well by the restless crowd. Theatre audiences in Sri Lanka are notorious for their minute attention span, and the long interval did not help in the least, making it the production’s only major hiccup.

However as the show progressed, it must be said that even the most boisterous onlooker was quickly drawn toward the stage. The choreography was symbolic, energising and meaningful, throughout. It was very obvious that every step had been thought out, every move planned meticulously. Neydorff used her dancers well, moulding them into breath-taking, and at times seemingly manic postures of flexibility, weaving them beautifully into the tapestry of her music. The result was perfection of motion.

The dancers moved with grace and confidence, blending effortlessly with the music, and in the process, with the hearts of the audience. From the popular sounds of Pink Floyd and Jewel to the lesser-known melodies of guitar greats Steve Vai and Joe Satriani, the show brought forward a varied cross section of music. Whether moving to the heavy guitars of Mudvayne or the exotic drumbeats of Terry Lyn Carrington, the dancers embraced their tasks with equal fervour. The pace was never allowed to drop, the energy never left to fizzle.

Special mention must be made of the Selfish Love item performed by Kevin Nugera and Menik Neydorff with the use of swivel chairs. The energy and precision employed by the two veterans was simply amazing. The writer still finds it hard to fathom the hours of practice it would have taken to perfect the movement. Moreover, the item clearly showed Neydorff’s willingness to deviate from the norm – a quality seldom seen in artistes today.

Life, Love, Death And After performed last Sunday was more than just a dance production. In many ways, it was an interpretation of life itself. There was the blessing of Joy, the passion of Conflict, and the hope of the Spirit That Flows On. But above all, there was passion. Pure and unchecked. When the curtain fell that night, the love of dancing had indeed risen above all else. The dancers had done what they loved, and in the process fulfilled a dream that took 30 years in the making. A dream that was indeed, well worth the wait.

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